Sandy's Departure
by Tori Productions
Summary: Spongebob is faced with the shocking reality that Sandy will be leaving Bikini Bottom in two weeks. Adding in the factor that he is in love with Sandy, this is going to be a very stressful event for him. What will he do?
1. Chapter 1

**(Author's Note: I'm hoping to continue this fanfiction, so please do feel free to give me advice for the next chapter. Spongebob's attitude is not supposed to be happy-happy-joy-joy in this piece because he is facing the possibility of losing the love of his life. Thus, he will be extremely stressed, and not jolly like he is in most of the Spongebob episodes on TV. Remember that. Anyway, enjoy.)**

_Over the years, Sandy and Spongebob had a strong friendship, one that, supposedly, was never to be broken. But one day Spongebob found out that Sandy was going to be leaving, and going back to Texas where she truly belonged. It would happen in approximately two weeks, a period of time that would fly by for Spongebob and the gang. Of course, as Sandy and he hung out and did so many things together, he felt like he was holding back. He loved her, but just didn't know how to tell her. She was his everything, but he was too shy and nervous to tell her. Would he be able to gather the courage to tell her...before she left?_

"One krabby patty, please," Squidward yelled to Spongebob.

There was no reply, only silence, soon accompanied by the groan of an impatient customer. "If you don't mind, I'm kinda in a hurry."

"SPONGEBOB! KRABBY PATTY!" Squidward snapped, jerking his head around. "Hey, Mr. Krabs said no personal items on the premises."

Spongebob had been, and still was, looking through his treasured photo album, at all the pictures of he and Sandy together.

Awakened from his daze, Mr. Krabs stormed into the room, an outraged look on his face. "ARRR! I hear money cryin' Spongebob, hurry up!" He stepped into the kitchen, and his eyes softened for just a moment. "Boy, honestly. Looking at those pictures won't help. That squirrel belongs in Texas anyway." "C'mon now, maybe flipping some patties will help cheer you up."

Spongebob, already fed up with all the false empathy, and the talk of her leaving, and all the cheering up attempts, then snapped, "NOTHING, NOTHING, and I mean NOTHING will cheer me up Mr. Krabs. This isn't as simple as you might think," growled Spongebob, his eyes narrowing. With that, he literally stood up and left the Krusty Krab. The last words he heard from Mr. Krabs were, "Wait..don't leave..the customers are waiting!"

He walked all the way home, tears streaming from his eyes like a rushing river. He'd always been the sensitive type, and couldn't "flood control" as well as others in times of deep emotion. When he got inside, he collapsed on his favorite chair and turned on the television. He soon flicked it off, however, for the program was a soap opera that reminded him too much of Sandy.

"What should I do Gary?" he sighed, "Whether or not I tell her my heart will still be broken." He wiped the tears from his eyes and glanced out the window. "Great, Patrick, just what I need right now," he muttered. It wasn't often he talked about Patrick like this, but he was a rather stressed out sponge at the moment. A knock on his door signaled the end of his thinking time.

He opened the door and let out a halfhearted greeting, "Hey Pat, come on in." Patrick shook his head, pulling Spongebob outside. Protesting and yanking his hand away from Patrick's grasp, he yelled, "What was that for?!"

"Well, I just wanted you to know that Sandy hasn't left the treedome for days now. I thought we could go check on her, but since you're in one of your moods..." Patrick trailed off with a glare, clearly aggrevated with Spongebob's unhappiness.

"I'm sorry. I'm just really bummed right now. But yes, we should probably go check on her," Spongebob grunted. He knew that seeing Sandy was not going to improve his mood at all. In fact, it would most likely worsen it. Ever since he'd learned she was moving, he'd avoided her, convincing himself that it'd be better if he didn't see her anymore.

Patrick began walking towards the treedome, Spongebob reluctantly accompanying him, his head drooping. As they neared treedome, Spongebob realized she was not in the outside area of her place. "For God's sake, Pat, are you sure this is smart? She could be sleeping, resting up for the long trip..." Spongebob whispered, realizing what he said sounded more like an excuse than a question.

Ignoring Spongebob, Patrick knocked on the metallic door, then motioned for him to come over. Trudging over, Spongebob glanced into the treedome. Sandy was climbing down from her treehouse, their bowls that they used for breathing in her hand. _Did she actually expect us? _thought Spongebob, a surprised expression on his face.

Slowly, she opened the door, allowed them a few seconds to fill their bowls and place them on their heads, then let them in. "Howdy, fellas," she said, her voice sounding happy. "Hey Sandy," the two replied, Patrick with a smile, Spongebob with a fairly strained smile. Raising a brow, Sandy inquired, "Hey Spongebob, shouldn't you be at work?"

Shaking his head, he replied, "Nope, I didn't feel like going today." Sandy, seeming quite surprised, simply nodded her head and motioned for the two to sit down. "So, how've you guys been?" she asked in a friendly tone. "We've been good," said Patrick, answering for the both of them. Sandy nodded and smiled, "Yeah, I've been well myself, just been excited about that Texas trip."

The words stung Spongebob, even though she obviously hadn't meant for them too. She continued, "Y'know, I'm really going to miss y'all, but Texas is more fitting to me than Bikini Bottom, since there's more of my kind there." Nodding as if to confirm her sentence, she sat down opposite of Spongebob and Patrick. Spongebob's face had begun to grow quite pale. "Say, Spongebob, are you feeling alright?" asked Sandy, voicing her concern.

Spongebob gulped, "I don't know. Maybe I ate a bad patty or something." He sighed. The pain he felt then was the equivalent to being hit hard on the head with a hammer a dozen times. _She wants to be with more of her kind...I'm not good enough for her. _he thought in dissapointment.

Realizing Spongebob was growing pale and a little shaky, Sandy helped him up and led him to the door, "Maybe..maybe you just need to go home and get some rest, Spongebob," she said, a gentle tone in her voice as she opened the door. Patrick smiled and waved at him as he left. Since Patrick wasn't sick, he'd be staying there. So Spongebob walked home alone. Suddenly, he froze. At the pathway to Squidward's house he realized that maybe Squid would give him some valuable advice. He checked his watch. -_6:30 pm_- Squidward was probably home from work by now.

There was an unearthly noise coming from Squidward's house. He walked up to the door and knocked loudly. Soon it opened, just a little, and Squidward peeped out. "Who's there?" he asked irritably. He looked down to see Spongebob standing at his doorstep. "What on earth do you want?" he growled, his anger boiling over. "You interupted me while I was practicing my clarinet." Spongebob sighed, then replied, "I thought you might be able to give me some advice. It's..about Sandy." He gave Squidward a pleading look.

Squidward groaned, "If I do this for you will you leave me alone?" Nodding his head, Spongebob managed a quick smile before asking, "May I please come in?" Squidward opened the door further, allowing Spongebob in. Once he was comfortable on Squid's couch, Spongebob preceded to ask, "What do you do..Squidward..if you love someone, but they're leaving?" Squidward, who'd been sitting down, was caught off guard. He'd never known that Spongebob could be so direct. Scratching his head, he answered, "Well, I suppose I'd tell them how I feel, and hope to God that they would stay...but that's just my opinion."

Processing this in his brain for a few moments, the yellow sponge nodded, having understood Squidward's answer. "So you're saying I should tell Sandy how I feel and beg her to stay?" Squidward rolled his eyes, "I didn't say you had to. My answer was merely hypothetical. But I will admit it is a good idea to tell her how you feel." With a gulp, Spongebob shakily spoke, "Yes. That's all good, but what..what if she doesn't..er..feel the same?" He earnestly awaited more smart talk from Squidward.

"Well, she will either love you, or not love you, Spongebob. Keep in mind, if she doesn't love you, it doesn't neccesarily mean it's the end of the world. She might warm up to the idea eventually...or just never show any more-than-friends interest in you at all," Squidward said. _Most likely the latter possibiliity, _he thought to himself. Clearing his throat, Spongebob measured the possibilities. "Squid, I know this might be a tad bit hard for you to understand, since you've never really loved anyone, but I can't just brush off my feelings for Sandy if she rejects me. I mean, we're talking about someone I've loved for a long long time. In fact, without her it seems life won't be worth living, and I'm telling the truth."

Spongebob's words stunned Squidward to silence. He'd never thought the cheerful yellow fellow would be so wise-sounding. He then checked his clock. -_8:00 pm._- They'd been talking for approximately an hour and thirty minutes. "Well, Spongebob, you might want to get going, I have to get ready for bed," he said dismissively, giving Spongebob a simple pat on the back before leaving for the bathroom. He trusted Spongebob would find his own way out.

After Squidward left, Spongebob left also, making his way to his house. He reached his house, and entered. As he got ready for bed, he went over Squidward's words in his head. Squid was right, he needed to tell Sandy. But how? The very act of being around her now hurt him. When he got into bed, it was some time before he actually fell asleep. He was too busy thinking. She wanted to be with more of her own kind, she didn't need people like him trying to barge into her personal life. He shook his head, then dozed off.


	2. Chapter 2

Spongebob awoke the next morning to realize he'd overslept. Sluggishly he got up, showering then putting on his clothes. He made his way to the Krusty Krab, knowing that he was going to get chewed out by Mr. Krabs, as he had walked out yesterday. As soon as he stepped through the doors, Squidward pointed towards Mr. Krabs' office. Mr. Krabs was going to have a private talk with him.

Sighing, Spongebob slowly opened the door to his office, and Mr. Krabs motioned for him to take a seat. He did, but slowly, looking Mr. Krabs straight in the eye. There was an awkward silence between the two of them for a few minutes, then Mr. Krabs finally spoke. "Spongebob, I know this whole Sandy thing is tragic for you, but you are at your job, and it is your responsibility to pull yourself together. Walking out on us is unnaceptable behavior, lad. So I've arranged for you to have a private meeting with a guidance counselor. Maybe getting your feelings out will help improve your current performance here at the Krusty Krab."

Spongebob cleared his throat. Mr. Krabs had left no room for choice or objection. It was apparent he would have to see that counselor. He moved closer so he was not even an inch from the face of the red crustacean. "Look...Mr. Krabs..I appreciate what you're trying to do here, but I have my doubts about that guidance counselor. I doubt whoever it is will help. In fact, I'm almost sure that seeing the counselor will only stress me out more," he said firmly.

Raising an eyebrow, Mr. Krabs snapped back a reply, "Whatever you say boy. You're still going to see that counselor. Now go back in there and cook some money--err..I mean Krabby Patties." Without so much as a word, Spongebob stormed out, ignoring the smirk on Squidward's face. Squiddy had probably been eavesdropping. The poor yellow sponge was quite angry at the time and merely went back to flipping patties.

After a horde of unsatisfied customers complained about soggy burgers, Squidward stomped in to talk to Spongebob. "What are you bloody putting in these burgers Spongebob?!" He gasped as he saw a single teardrop drip onto another patty the fry cook was preparing. "What are you talking about, Squidward?" Spongebob asked with fake calmness, swallowing the huge lump in his throat.

Sighing and muttering some curses under his breath, Squidward pointed at the door, practically growling, "OUT, Spongebob, OUT. If that's how you're going to cook then you surely don't need to be here." Head sagging, Spongebob left, handing Squidward his spatula and his Krusty Krab Employee hat. He'd had enough of the K. K. anyway. Maybe he just needed a vacation to clear his head and fight off his emotions. Clearly right then if he worked his feelings would come back and bite him in the butt.

Once home, he dialed his parents.

"You've reached the Squarepants residence. Sorry, we're not in right now, but if you leave us a message we'll dial you back as soon as we receive it. Thanks, bye."

BEEP

"Hey mom, hey dad. Uhh, this is Spongebob. I feel like I'm about to croak, and I was hoping you guys would talk to me, y'know, give me some pointers. It's about Sandy. She's leaving, I love her, and I'm not sure of what to do. I thought since you guys have been through this stuff, you would help. Um, give me a call back A.S.A.P. Love you guys. Bye." Spongebob pressed the end button on his shellphone, put it down, and sighed.

DING

Who would be at the door this time of day, when he was usually at work? Slowly he got up from his chair, walked over, cracked the door open, and peeked out.

...It was Sandy.


End file.
